Kings Speech 2023: Mental health leaders 'disappointed' over failure to reform services
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Children and young people’s mental health organisations have criticised the government’s failure to commit to reforming the Mental Health Act as part of the King's Speech.
A joint statement from the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition (CYPMHC) states that “we are deeply disappointed that there was no commitment to bring forward a Mental Health Bill to reform the Mental Health Act”.
The speech, which was delivered by King Charles III on Tuesday (7 November), made no mention of plans to tackle increased mental health issues among young people.
Alluding to long waiting lists for the majority of NHS services, Charles said the government would work with NHS England to deliver “its plans to cut waiting lists and transform the long-term workforce of the National Health Service”.
The coalition’s statement is signed by those including Andy Bell, chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, Anne Longfield, former children’s commissioner for England and chair of the Commission on Young Lives, Laura Bunt, chief executive of YoungMinds and Leigh Middleton, chief executive of the National Young Agency.
It states: “Reforming the Act would provide a vital opportunity to enhance children and young people’s rights, to strengthen safeguards for those admitted to mental health hospitals – particularly for children placed in inappropriate settings and in adult wards – and to re-balance the system to one that prioritises and promotes patient voice and choice in their treatment.
“As a sector, we are increasingly concerned that mental health is no longer a political priority. With the loss of the ten-year mental health plan earlier this year, the promise to reform the Mental Health Act is yet another commitment abandoned by this government. Sadly, it is children, young people and their families that are most impacted by these failed promises.”
Reforming the Act, through the Draft Mental Health Bill, would have seen greater statutory protections for people with autism around detention for mental health reasons and tighter restrictions around the detention of children in non-specialist settings.
According to research from the Children’s Society, one in six children aged five to 16 are currently likely to have a mental health problem.
Sector leaders have also criticised the King’s Speech over its failure to include issues such as children’s social care, early years and increasing child poverty.
